A different Dawn
by Meagana
Summary: When The Monk's created Dawn they needed a pure innocent soul, so they stole one from another reality, 14 years or so a head of theirs, one where Buffy is fiction and one where the soul in question had just finished watching her mother's DVDS of Buffy and Angel.
1. Chapter 1

**I knew there have been two other stories like this, but this is my take on it. In my version. The person who takes over Dawn's memories is a fellow 14 year old girl, from 2014 whose mother is a fan of the show someone who is like willow, and got pregnant her freshman year at MIT, and recently watched Buffy and Angel for the first time. So it's all fresh in her mind. Tell me what you think I'm not attached to this fic it's only an experiment. **

My Mom was only 18 when she had me but she still managed to become a success, something about her being a super amazing computer genius probably. She went into Software design and designed a bunch of video games and now we're super wealthy. Recently After My Mom discovered I was interested in vampires, Vampire diaries, Twilight, Anita Blake, She dug out her Buffy and Angel DVDs and made me watch them and the extras. I was fascinated to say the least. I mean. It was so much cooler than my Vamp stuff, These kids were the same age as My Mom more or less. My Mom was born in 1982, and had me on February 29th, 2000, four months after her 18th birthday, and just a few months before the end of her freshman year at MIT, she was lucky she graduated a year early, College professors don't care so much about pregnancy and what scandals so long as you get your work done.

The character that reminds me the most of my Mom is Willow. Maybe not identical or anything but a tiny powerful redhead with bisexual tendencies who is a computer genius has a male best friend, and distant relationship with her academic minded parents. Then there's my stepmother who's a dark haired chef who a lot like faith right down to the leather pants, the accent and the sexual innuendo, Gwen is a chef though not a felon, and she has a pretty cool restaurant.

After I had finished the 7th season Buffy and after the fourth season of Angel. There was a bright light, a blinding light, and wave of debilitating nausea. But I didn't throw up or anything, when I woke up the next morning the nausea was gone, I investigated and I seemed to be Dawn Marie Summers, age 14. Weird. It seemed to be the night after the Dracula Mess, even weirder. Unlike the TV show dawn I respect other people's boundaries too much to go into my sister's room, but I did read, Dawn's diaries cover to cover to get her memories they were surprisingly helpful. I thought her just a brat who was lonely but she was so much more than that, she was so afraid of being alone, of being left behind, of people leaving her behind if was her greatest fear really. And people just kept leaving her. It doesn't excuse her behavior but it does explain it, especially since Hank started abandoning her fatherly responsibilities a lot earlier than we thought, I found her school schedules, pictures of friends, Janice and Lisa.

I showered and dressed the clothes were 2014 style but hey, you can't have everything. Joyce the Mom told Buffy if she was going out, that she should take her sister. We went to meditate with Giles, I remember from the show, I remember from the show. I stayed perfectly still, and quiet, and let, her do what she had to do. I even meditated along with her. Then I watched as she stood straight up, it was kind of beautiful. When they were done. I asked if there were times I could meditate too.

"I don't know…."

"There are some meditative techniques that will be equally beneficial to Dawn as they are to you, Buffy, I don't see the Harm, it's not like self-defense training, it could help her study and concentrate. There really is no down side to letting her meditate as long as we don't let her do the slayer specific meditations. You may also let her do Tai Chi, It will help her immensely…."

"All right, but that's it….I'm not teaching you to fight."

"I don't want to fight." I said. "Those things are scary."

"Alright, let's go." On the way home I tried to tell Buffy the truth but every time I tried it literally wouldn't come out of my mouth. That night when I tried to tell Joyce about the tumor it wouldn't come out either. That night I had a little visit from Whistler.

"Whistler what is going on?"

"Well, it's quite simple, you can only tell people if they guess something is wrong or you're asked a direct question. You'll know when you'll be able to tell there are several loop holes."

"Why me?"

"Because you are a pure innocent soul….."

"You ask a stupid question I guess."

"And all your information on the show is fresh in your mind."

"I didn't finish watching Angel."

"I know Sorry about that."

"No you're not."

"No, I am, they're not, but I am."

I woke up the next morning and knew I had nothing to do. School hadn't started yet, and Buffy wasn't around. I decided to do more investigating into the life of One Dawn Summers.


	2. Buffy finds out

It was Thursday, Real Me happened on Friday and Saturday. Which meant that the training session yesterday wasn't the one that Dawn ruined in the teaser of the Real Me, she must be training twice a week. Or at least they were twice a week, this morning I woke up knowing things that Dawn knew I woke up with her memories, along with my own, but my personality remained dominant I had a whole new understanding of Dawn though why she behaved the way she did. She really was desperately lonely, I am desperately lonely, and desperate for her Big sister's attention. I remember crawling into Buffy's bed in LA, when Hank and Joyce were fighting I remember Hank pulling away more and more, becoming more and more of an absentee father. Once I got a handle on Dawn I decided to clean, my room, then I cleaned the rest of the house. It was weird I was home alone but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Dawn are you here?" She caught me folding laundry.

"What are you doing?"

"Folding my laundry" I said from the couch. "And Watching Bewitched it's the one when Aunt Clara gets various babysitting gigs…it just started wanna watch with me?"

"I got nothing better to do." She sat down.

"Are you doing Slayery things with Giles today?"

"I did that already. Tomorrow, I'll probably have to take you with me. Mom won't be happy I left you home alone."

"We don't have to tell her, if you don't want. I mean it's up to you."

"Why are you being nice to me?"

"I don't want to fight anymore, Buffy. I mean we're sisters and we're teenagers it's like a law of nature we'll fight sometimes, but we don't have to fight all the time, it just makes life more stressful than it has to be."

"what's with the change in attitude?"

"I have two sets of memories. The memories of Dawn Marie Summers, and the Memories of Charlie Whittaker, Charlie is also 14, but she was born in 2000, in another dimension where you and everyone we know are fictional characters. I know what happens to us until 2003, I can only tell you if you guess or ask me a direct question, but I'm not the same Dawn anymore."

Buffy snorts then looks at her sister. "Dawn you're serious."

"I am."

"Fine what does, Charlie look like."

"A Little Like Willow actually, only, her hair is more Rose colored, and She's a lot chubbier."

"chubbier?"

"Alright, she's fat, happy."

"Dawn if this is true I need information."

"And I want to tell you, what's going is it's my life on the line this year. But Whistler the stupid jerk was very specific he said only if you guessed or asked me a direct question, he did mention loopholes but he didn't tell me what they were,"

"I think you found one, you just told me that it's your life on the line"

"Oh." I felt myself blush.

"Dawn Who's after you?"

"A Hell God named Glorificus who drains the sanity out of people, and wants to use me to get home."

"How do I beat her?"

"I honestly don't know I think it was shear luck last time, I know you can beat her by killing her human vessel but for some reason I can't tell you who that is."

"Who's her vessel?"

Something's keeping you from telling you, I think It's the same spell that protects her."

"Alright. Dawnie I'm call Giles. You take the laundry upstairs."

Buffy's POV

Dawn is either trying to get my attention, having some kind of psychotic break, or she's telling the truth. I really hope she's just trying to get my attention. I call Giles, he says he'll be right over. But I know it will take him at least half an hour with that Mid Life crisis Mobile he's currently driving. Giles arrived half an hour later, and I explained everything to him.

"Good Lord, Buffy do you think she's telling the truth."

"I hope it's just a ploy for attention but it doesn't feel like one, Dawn come here!" Dawn comes down the stairs and we sit down in the living room. "You have to ask her direct questions."

"What is this new threat."

"I already told buffy."

"Hellgod called Glorificus." Buffy said. "Sucks the sanity out of people."

"Good Lord."

"Dawn says she's in danger."

"how are you in danger, Dawn."

"I wasn't always Dawn, I used to be a ball of energy called the Key, and these monks made me and sent me to Buffy, because she'd protect me with her life. Glory can use the Key to get home, by using the Key to break down the walls to dimensions, and getting home, to do that she has to kill me…..." He begins cleaning his glasses. "Have you ever considered Contacts or laser eye surgery?"

"I don't suppose you have any proof?"

"I can tell you almost anything you want, if you ask the right questions. Whistler the big jerk says I can only answer if I'm asked a direct question."

"quite." He put his glasses back on his head. "I will come up with a series of questions then, Don't worry girls I will figure this out." Hopefully there's nothing to figure out and she just needs attention, Buffy thought, of course it doesn't seem like that the case.


	3. Questions and answers

Buffy's POV

"What kind of questions do we ask her Giles?" I whispered she watched Dawn from the front porch Giles and I were instructing her in Tai Chi from the Porch. I promised Mom it wouldn't go further than Tai Chi and meditation, once I explained all the advantages of Tai Chi, and that Dawn wouldn't feel so left out and it was something the two of us could do together she thought it was a good idea, and that I was a good big sister for finding something safe like that for Dawn so she wouldn't feel so left out and we could bond.

"Questions Dawn couldn't possibly know, about Charlie's life and yours. You said she said that your life was a television show and she knew parts of it until 2003…."

"Yes."

"But she was born in 2000?"

"I think Her mother was the fan and she was just watching for the first time. Funny thing is I don't think she likes Dawn as a character."

"What do you mean?"

"She's doing everything she can to change the way Dawn would react to things. I mean she has dawns memories but Charlie's personality…."

"I see…." Dawn tripped and fell to the ground, cutting her knee on a rock she looked shock and in pain she burst into tears. I ran over.

"Dawnie what's the matter?"

"It's all true isn't it, this isn't a dream, this is all real."

"You thought it was a dream?"

"why would anyone think this was real, you're from a TV show that ended when I was a three! I decided to just ride it out until I woke up, it was kind of fun but now it real….." She sobbed out. and Buffy hugged her tightly, then picked her up and carried her into the house like she would a small child. she brought her to the living room and sat her on the couch. She pushed up the sweat pants.

"Giles could you get the first aid kit." Buffy said. Dawn was still crying, and Buffy was just rubbing her arm.

"Yes." Giles came back with the kit. And Buffy fixed her the cut on her leg.

"You want to talk about it?"

"You've were never so…..motherly on the show, at least not until Joyce died."

"Mom died, when."

"In a few months complications to from brain surgery she has a tumor."

"Well, I have hidden depths." She tucked a lock of hair behind dawn's ear. "Now do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm not going home again am I?"

"It seems unlikely." Giles said.

"Don't worry Dawnie, we'll take care of you, you have a home here with us. It doesn't matter how you came to be you're my little sister and I love you."

"Now what can you tell me about Mom's tumor?"

"Direct questions Buffy."

"What kind of tumor does she have?"

"Low grade Glioma

"what does she die of?"

"Aneurysm after the surgery…everyone thought she was all better…...this is really real?" Charlie looked at them hoping they'd tell her it was a dream and she would wake up so soon she or rather Dawn started sobbing again until she threw up, Buffy picked her and carried her to bed, she cleaned her up and tucked her in. She came back down Giles was cleaning up the vomit on the rug.

"So I assume she is too distraught to ask questions to now?"

"Yeah, Giles she really thought this was all a dream."

"Would you, if you woke up inside a television show."

"I suppose I would, probably why she thought nothing of doing things her own way she was the star in her own dream."

"Quite."

"And why she didn't question Whistler showing up, we never question the twists and turns in our dreams we just go with them."

"We need the information she knows, Buffy."

"I know that, but not today, she made herself sick Giles she needs her rest."

"Although we have learned something, it seems she give us information but she answers as Charlie."

"I notice, I have to get my mother to go to a doctor."

"Quite, If she's actively trying to answer questions Buffy she can only answer direct questions, but if you become close her, bond with her, you should be able to answer a lot of your questions because they will simply slip from her and more things that slip the more direct questions you'll be able to ask, which lead to more questions and more answers. This is not job I can do, this something you need to do."

"I know. I can't all memories of Dawn are made up…."

"And Charlie is a very real little girl, who is alone and afraid and needs you, not only to protect her from a great danger, but from a world she doesn't understand and to help her through the unspeakable pain of losing everything she's ever had….."

"I know that Giles. It's Just Dawnie's always been such a brat, and Charlie's she's sweet and even though she has all this knowledge she's much more naïve then Dawn was. Dawn grew up in this town she knew the dangers, Charlie grew up out there, in the real world, where monsters really don't exist. "

"Monsters exist everywhere my dear, you know that, it's just not all of them are demons. Some of the worst monsters there are, are humans."

"Tell me about it. When are you calling the Council?"

"I'll do some research on my own, exhaust my own resources before I go to them. Two maybe three weeks."

"Alright…."

"I should be going." He left a few hours, later Mom came home. Buffy was watching TV, and looking through her course selection one more time.

"Hi, where's your sister?"

"She got sick before, threw up, She's in bed."

"Oh, Dear….what happened?"

"She got upset, started crying, made herself sick."

"What happened?"

"We Watched **The Way We were**." I lied Dawn's reaction to that Movie was legendary in the house and Mom would buy that lie without much fuss.

"Buffy." Mom scolded "You were supposed to be bonding with her, spending time with her, you know what that movie does to her. She gets so upset when they don't end up together."

"I know Mom but she wanted to watch it."

"She's not allowed to watch it and for Good reason, for the same reason you're not allowed to watch Ice Castles."

"Mom….that was going to be next but we got interrupted." I said.

"No, I don't want to hear, it I'm going upstairs to check on her, when I get back I want the offending tape in my hand and just so you don't get any ideas I want Ice Castles too."

"Okay, Mom." Good she bought that lie. I got the two tapes, and got them ready for Mom. She got Dawn to come downstairs, and we ordered Chinese, We eat together, joking and laughing and then I went out to Patrol.


	4. The Real Me

Dawn's POV

I woke up and I knew today was the morning of the Real me. Yesterday was Thursday and it had not gone the way if it did in the teaser. Joyce/Mom was still getting ready for that Art gallery show thing. Buffy was eating cereal when I came down.

"We're out of milk" Buffy said.

"Is there something besides cereal?"

"Yogurt?" Mom said.

"Fine." I went in the fridge and picked out "Are there any strawberry or Blueberry ones I don't like Raspberry."

"In the back." I found one.

"Thank you." I grabbed a spoon and sat down and began to eat. "You know Greek yogurt has more protein, and tastes better, even if takes some getting used to, because Buffy needs more protein because of her Slayerness it's probably a better investment."

"I'll keep that mind, maybe you can go grocery shopping with me this week, since you're so full ideas."

"I'd love to." I said brightly. Gwen loved to share her ideas for good tasting nutritious meals with me. She may talk and dress like Faith despite being a good 15 years older, a respectable businesswoman but she was very serious about making sure her kid and Babe (me and Mom were fed properly) That's one way she wasn't like Faith, Gwen was the most loyal and loving person I ever met, and fiercely and violently protective of those she loves which she how she usually gets in trouble as opposed to why Faith used to find herself in trouble but she just also had the single dirtiest mind in all creation. Most people wouldn't think you could find all that in one person but Gwen Callahan is without a doubt was that person. She also taught me how to fight, including how to fight dirty and how to play pool, and how to pick locks and pick pockets, no one said she was the picture perfect influence, but they were skills that might come in handy here in Sunnyhell.

"Oh, Buffy can you take Dawn school shopping…."

"I lost my list." I said.

"I have a copy. There's a reason I take your school list and schedule to the gallery and make copies before I give them you, you've lost them every year before the first day of school."

"Oh, thanks Mom…."

"It's my job, Dawnie." I continued eating my Yogurt.

"Sure, I guess I was going to hang out with her after I went slayer shopping with Giles but there' something more important to talk about." Buffy said. "I can't explain how I know but it's important you go to the doctors and get checked, out. Get a brain scan."

"Why Buffy?"

"You have a tumor, a low grade glioma, and it needs to be taken care of."

"Is this a slayer thing how you know?"

"It came from a reliable magical source there's no reason to doubt it."

"Alright I'll make an appointment…."

"Maybe you should shop around for the best doctor, not necessarily go to Sunnydale I mean these are the same people who actually believe human bite marks are Barbeque fork injuries." I said. "I mean even a Goth sicko with fake teeth would make more sense….."

"Dawn might be right, Mom. I mean they're doctors they should know what human bite marks look like and yet they believe every time that it's barbeque fork accidents at least the Goth sicko story would make sense maybe you should look for better care….I mean it may mean the difference between life or death." I looked at Buffy and she caught my gaze she knew that's what I was trying to say.

"So how are we getting my school supplies?"

"Well Giles is going to pick me up, we're going to do some slayer shopping than he's going to drop us at the mall I suppose….."

"Buffy, can I talk to you….."

I took her aside. "I don't want to go to the magic shop."

"Why not?"

"The shop keeper is dead, drained multiple vamp bites."

Buffy's POV

I loved when she just enough slip that I could ask the right question.

"You know who?"

"Harmony Kendall and her minions."

I started to uncontrollably laugh. "Harmony has minions."

"She's going to try kill you….and is going to kidnap me."

I stopped laughing. "Can we prevent it?"

"Originally I accidentally invited her in when she insulted Xander."

"So, I'll be here instead of patrolling, why patrol when they can come to me."

"Look why don't you tell mom why you have to go to the magic shop about the dead body, tell her you need me to go the gallery with her for an hour, then you and Giles will pick me up and then he'll drop us off at the mall….then you'll stay with me tonight."

Buffy nods.

'Mom, I have to go the magic shop, because the shop keeper was killed, I'll take Dawn shopping after the magic shop is only a block away from the gallery, I'll come pick her up after I investigate shouldn't be more than an hour, hour and half tops. Then Giles will drop us off at the mall, you come pick us up from the mall take us home, get ready for your show, then I'll stay with her while you're at your show."

"You're not going to patrol?"

"The vamp that killed the shop keeper is coming here."

"Is Dawn in Danger?"

"Not during the day and as long as she stays in the house while it's dark and invites no one in until this vamp is taken care of she is in Zero danger. I promise. Besides, I'll be here to take care of things. Me and Riley….."

"Alright buffy, I trust you to keep us safe."

"Come on Dawnie, let's go to the Gallery."

"I can look up, Oncologists in your office at the gallery while you're working." Dawn said cheerfully.

"Yes, dear."

"Of course first you just need a simple MRI or cat scan."

"Yes, dear."

"You're making fun of me."

Dawn's POV

From the gallery office I found a decent oncologist in LA, and an MRI, and Cat-scan place, here in Sunnydale. I made the MRI, and CAT scan appointments for Monday morning. And got the information of five different oncologists and five brain surgeons in Los Angeles and the same in Sacramento. In case Jo….Mom wanted to shop around. When Buffy and Giles came to get me. I left the information on Mom's desk. And I took the list and schedule from Mom. I said Good bye to Mom and I met Marianne who was actually played by Lauren Graham it was weird seeing her away from Gilmore girls or Parenthood. Giles drove us to the mall.

"You know if you wanted a Mid Life Crisis Mobile Giles there are better Options." I said from the backseat. Buffy just started snickering.

"Dawn, really."

"Hey, I'm being nice, Gwen would have called it a Penis mobile and asked it you were compensating for something."

Buffy started laughing out loud. Then turned serious. "Don't talk like that Dawnie, you're too young, Mom'll ground you for a week if you talk like that then she'll want to know where you learned to talk like that and start in on me."

"Blame Anya she'll buy that. She's met her. How'd it go at the magic shop?"

"It was like you said. You didn't tell me Giles would get all taken in by the numbers and want to take over the magic shop."

"You didn't ask."

"Good Point."

Walking around the mall for clothes and school supplies, we got the school supplies first, since the stationary store was near the entrance, I got a fountain pen, and pencils, and notebooks, and everything else on my list, then we went clothes shopping, and I followed my instincts. I tried on a jeans and a dark t-shirt.

"You're a little punk aren't you?"

"A little yeah, but you think its okay?"

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah…."

"That's all that matters. Let's try a few on a few things, first rule of Southern California you can get away with anything as long as you look hot."

"I'm kind of scrawny a problem I can honestly say I've never had."

"Right you used to be…."

"Yeah….."

"Buffy this is so confusing, I know what happens in this show, and I'm not sure how much of it was meant to happen and how much of I'm supposed to change."

"Well, I guess that depends on how much you're able to tell us."

"So you think they, the powers that be, will let me tell you certain things and not tell you others and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Probably."

"So, I'm as much they're tool as you are."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, but we should tell Mom, I know you want to protect her, but she deserves to know."

"I suppose you're right."

We got the clothes and Mom picked us up. She got ready for her show, I put on a Blue and pink pajama pants, and an Alice in Wonderland T-shirt, I settled on the couch after dinner with rocky road, and watched Princess Bride with Buffy and Riley, I didn't pay attention when they started making out, when the rock came through the window I went upstairs.

Buffy's POV.

We managed to stake every single one of the minions but Harmony got away. She's as dumb as they get, but anyone born and raised in Sunnydale usually has strong survival instincts, I guess it was one of the things that survived from her death and now the demon uses. I knew it would be awhile before Harmony would come after us. It probably took every brain cell she had to come up with that plan. And even if she had another plan she didn't have the strength to carry another one out herself. Riley and I cuddled on the couch for a while longer, when it was Dawn's bedtime I told her so she didn't look happy about it but she went without a fight. Mom came out and caught me and Riley making out. I couldn't even bother to look apologetic.

**Dawn/Charlie's POV **

Before I knew it two days had passed it was Sunday, the last day before school started and I was sitting in the Magic shop, after Giles had signed the paperwork. Nothing stood still in Sunnydale when I mentioned it seemed to happen quickly, Buffy said it was part of Sunnydale Syndrome. And I nodded. Mom was going over some things before her MRI, and CAT scan, appointments tomorrow, I hoped that was enough. I was worried, I missed my Moms, both of them, but I loved Joyce, Maybe it was Dawn's Memories but I really did love her. This was a new world, and I was terrified I wouldn't do enough, or I would do too much. I looked down at the world I had written in my new diary. It didn't feel right to write in Dawn's after all. So I kept hers as reference and Wrote in a new one. This one had was spelled, thanks to Tara, and only Buffy or I could read it, literally. It was warded. Tara said it was a very common spell, it wasn't dangerous and everyone else would just see blank paper.


End file.
